Harsh Winters
by rachelelizabeth-p
Summary: <html><head></head>Jack's in the Refuge, and Celia's got her own problems.</html>
1. Chapter 1

December 1897

Winters in New York City can actually be quite beautiful: the light dusting of white powder on the trees and streetlamps, the smell of seasonal treats wafting from the bakeries, and the excessive decorations for the coming of Christmas. It was still weeks away, but I swear that the Newsboys have been buzzing about it since Hallowe'en. I couldn't wait either, but even if it was my favorite holiday, I wasn't talking about it nonstop. There were more pressing issues, right now. For instance, icy sidewalks and slush also came along with the winter season. I was glad I had worn my thick boots today, or walking home in this snowstorm would have made it even more miserable. That's right. I said snowstorm: another thing I hate about winter.

Luckily, I was close to the Lodgehouse. Pushing on through the snow and slush, I trudged up the stairs and inside. After slamming the door shut, I leaned against it and waited for the warmth of the fireplace to penetrate my frozen muscles.

"CELIA!" I heard Race yell from somewhere off to my right. Looking up, I found him stomping towards me with steam practically shooting out of his ears. He was livid. _What's happened now?_ I thought. Race stopped directly in front of me. "Tell Buttons that in order for him to get presents this Christmas, he has to be nice until then."

"What did he do?" I asked, not really caring but trying to sound sincere. My brother Jack and I were always the mediators between the petty arguments among the Newsboys, even though I was younger than most of them.

"He covered my bed in ice chunks from outside. They melted and now my blankets are drenched."

I rolled my eyes. _Boys_. I yanked off my cap and shook the remaining snow from my hair. "Why can't Jack take care of it? I'm starving." I headed toward the kitchen when Race's answer stopped me in my tracks.

"Jack ain't here yet."

I turned back around in surprise. "He's not?" It was later in the evening, probably closer to eight than seven. Jack and I always got back around five, but the snowstorm had held me back from getting here earlier. "He hasn't come in at all tonight?" Race shook his head. Something didn't feel right here. I pondered that thought for a moment, and Race went back to the stairs. I called after him. "Race, go get Romeo and Mush. I don't feel like Jack isn't just stuck in the snowstorm." Race nodded sullenly before disappearing upstairs. I walked over to the fireplace and held my hands out toward the flames. My fingers tingled as the heat dulled the numbness. _Man, the storm is only getting worse. Stupid Jack making me go out there again_, I thought. Mush was the first one to come down the stairs, bundled up for the outside. He stood beside me, copying my stance with hands out.

"You think Jack's in trouble?" he asked, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know, but something just doesn't seem right."

"You got some type of sibling connection or something?" Mush laughed.

I punched his arm, but couldn't help smiling. "It's not a brother and sister thing. Don't you feel weird about Jack not being here? I get that it's a snowstorm, but that wouldn't hold him back. It's Jack!" I hoped Mush hadn't picked up on the desperation in my voice. This bothered me more than I was letting on. Just then, Race and Romeo came downstairs. After a few minutes in front of the fire discussing our plan of action, we left the Lodgehouse and out into the storm. I went north while the others went in the opposite directions. We were to meet back at the Lodgehouse in one hour with or without Jack. I went towards Gianni's Restaurant a few blocks away, hoping that Jack had gone to get supper. If he had gone to eat, I was going to be mad that I wasn't invited. The streets were empty, other than the swirling snow and slick ice. As I turned the corner, I saw a police motorcar up ahead. As I began to walk faster, I saw two policemen and a boy arguing. It was Jack. I ran to the confrontation. "What's going on?" I asked, rudely interrupting the man speaking. He was old and fat with deep worry lines on his face. _Ew. __  
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"It's none of your business, young lady," he told me, and I stiffened.

Crossing my arms, I glared at him. "I believe it is, if you are arguing with my brother," I retorted. The man looked back and forth between Jack and me. Okay, we didn't look anything alike. I had light blonde hair with green eyes, while Jack had brown eyes with hair so dark it almost looked black. That was something the Newsboys always teased us about.

"Your brother was caught stealing from a bakery in Upper Manhattan," the younger cop snarled at me. He had to be in his twenties, but Jack was the same size as he. Jack's arm was held roughly in his grasp.

I looked at Jack in surprise. "Stealing?" I asked him, and he looked down.

"It's not what you think it is," he muttered under his breath, but I was outraged.

"It's not? Jack, you were caught stealing. I thought we were better than that."

Jack finally met my eyes. "Celia, I was trying to give kids at the Refuge some bread." My anger dissipated. _Oh, Jack. _I could understand his reasoning now. Both of us had soft spots for the kids who had to live in the horrible place called the Refuge. It was a place for juvenile delinquents, but the stories about the place made it seem more like hell. I had never been there, but a few of the Newsboys had. They're the ones who wake up screaming during the night.

"Why didn't you just come back to the house? I'm sure a few of us could have pooled our money or-"

"That doesn't matter now. He stole and now has to pay the consequences," the older cop snapped as he pushed me away from Jack. Because of the slick road, I fell and twisted my right ankle. A cry of pain escaped before I could stop it, and Jack turned red.

"Don't touch my sister!" he yelled, swinging his fist.

"Jack, no!" It was too late. His knuckles connected with the policeman's nose. The other cop jumped on top of Jack and wrestled him to the ground. The older cop doubled over, clutching his bleeding nose. When he stood back up, the look on his face made my heart stop.

"Well, kid. You just earned yourself a vacation in the Refuge," he said in a vengeful voice. I had never seen Jack scared before, but now he looked absolutely terrified. I watched in horror as the cop clicked handcuffs onto his wrists. Jack didn't even put up a fight, and that's when something snapped in me. I struggled to my feet.

"NO! You can't take him! Please!" My ankle screamed in pain as I hopped towards him. Jack stared at me, still in shock. Suddenly, the elder policemen wrapped his arms around me from behind, holding me in place. I fought hard, but the guy was much stronger than I was. Something changed in Jack at that moment, and his fight came back. The policeman had to throw him into the back of the motorcar and slam the door shut, Jack's yells muffled by the glass. The cop got in the car and waved at his partner to get in. Releasing me, the old cop practically ran to the other side of the car and got it. The motorcar sped off. I tried to run after it, but I'm not as fast as a moving car and especially not with a twisted ankle. I didn't even realize I was sobbing until I slowed to a stop. The wind stung my cheeks, and my hair had fallen out of my cap cascading down into my eyes. I sunk to my knees in shock. _Not Jack. Anyone but Jack._

My brother was going to die.


	2. Chapter 2

A voice calling my name pulled me from my reverie, and the world came crashing back down. It felt as if no time had passes, but the thin coat of snow covering me said otherwise. The storm was growing worse, the wind stinging my cheeks like pin pricks. Someone called my name again, sounder closer and clearer. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and jumped, causing the blanket of white powder to flutter off. I turned to my right. Race was kneeling about a foot away with a big grin on his face, which disappeared when he saw my expression.

"What happened?" he asked, and I couldn't find my voice to answer him. Part of me wanted to believe that none of this had ever happened. The boys and I would return back to the Lodgehouse, and Jack would be sitting by the fire telling the younger boys stories of adventures that never took place. The other part of me felt the pain from the harsh reality of what had occurred, both in my ankle and my heart. I realized that Race was still waiting for an answer, and I couldn't give him one. The news was going to crush him and the boys, much like it was doing to me now.

"Jack-" I started to answer, but began to cry. I hated crying in front of a Newsboy. It always led to teasing later on.

"All right," Race said kindly, "let's get back home." I nodded, and he helped me up. My muscles were numb and stiff, and I was shaking from the cold.

"I hurt my ankle," I told Race, and he adjusted my arm around his shoulder. We made our way back towards the Lodgehouse through the snow. I kept quiet, mostly focusing on putting one foot in front of another. My ankle couldn't take much weight, but Race kept me balanced. The stairs were a bit complicated when we got to them, but they were conquered. Mush and two other boys, Albert and Henry, came running up to us once we were inside. Race shook his head.

"Not now," he snapped, and the boys backed away. "Mush, get an ice pack. Albert, grab some blankets. Henry, you can help me." The others ran off while Henry came around to the other side of me. Together, the two boys got me over to the fire and set me in front of it. The warmth felt heavenly. Three thick quilts were wrapped around my shoulders. Race carefully pulled off the boot on my sore ankle. It was turning black and blue, but I knew it wasn't broken since I could feel my toes when Race's jacket brushed them. Mush came back with a bag of ice and set it over the bruising skin. Slowly but surely, I began to warm up. "Geez, Celia. You were blue when I found you," Race explained to me.

"I don't know how long I was sitting there."

"You were covered in snow. Celia, we need to know what happened," Race said, taking my frigid hand in his.

I took a deep breath than began the tale. "I was walking towards Gianni's when I saw some people arguing. I ran over, and it was Jack talking with two cops. Apparently, Jack had been caught stealing from a local bakery."

The boys gasped.

"Jack? Stealing?" Henry asked. Henry was younger than me by a year, but was taller than me by quite a few inches. He looked as shocked as the others.

"That's what I got mad about. I started yelling at him, but Jack told me that he did it for the kids in the Refuge. One of the cops didn't care, saying that Jack had to pay the consequences. He shoved me to the side, and I slipped and hurt my ankle. Jack got so angry that he punched the cop in the face." Even though what I was telling them was serious, I couldn't help but smile about how Jack had completely taken down a cop over twice his age and how it was so incredibly stupid. " The other cop grabbed Jack, and they took him to the Refuge." The boys' stunned silence was deafening. The tears I had fought to hold in finally spilled over. That was when Albert hugged me, and I could tell he was fighting back tears of his own.

"Jack's going to be fine, Celia," Mush stated suddenly, causing us to look at him. His expression was hopeful, and I wished I could have some of that hope for myself. He was given the task of telling the rest of the boys, something I couldn't do. I've told the story once, and that was enough for me. as he went upstairs, I found myself stuck in a Race and Albert sandwich for warmth or sympathy; either one was okay. Once I had feeling in my toes and fingers again, it was late and after the day's events, I was exhausted. henry got one of the older boys, Kyle, to carry me up the stairs to the bunk room. Luckily my bed was close to the door since I had to get up at insane hours just to get a shower. I swear boys take a longer time in the bathroom than girls. Still cold, the boys laid the quilts on top of my other blankets and me.

The room was quiet, but none of the boys were asleep. Obviously, mush had told them what had happened. It felt like the heart of the Lodgehouse had been ripped out. Jack would be causing trouble right about now, and the silence left an open wound that affected everyone. I was never one to go to bed early, but the want to forget everything was too great. The moment I closed my eyes, I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning did not come gracefully.

I woke up to a storm, both inside and outside the Lodgehouse. The snow hadn't stopped during the night, and mounds of white now lined the window sills. Newsboys ran around the room, the younger ones playing tag and the older boys headed for the showers. I was definitely not getting a wash this morning. My showers usually took place a hour before the boys woke up and everything went crazy. I groaned as I sat up, missing the peaceful mornings on the rooftop with Jack.

Jack.

The shock of yesterday hit me all over again. I wondered how his first night in the Refuge had gone, probably not well. I knew Jack though, and he wasn't one to complain. His empty bunk beside mine made my heart hurt as it was usually full of his sketches and pencils. Jack was even more of an early riser than I was and would use the quiet as the peak drawing time or so he called it. I missed waking up to the sound of a pencil scratching on paper.

"We can go visit him tonight after hours if you would like." Race stood at the foot of my bunk, leaning against the metal posts. He looked sympathetic, but I could tell that he was missing Jack just as much as I was.

The three of us had been through thick and thin together. Jack had become a Newsboy first, and I showed up on the fire escape two years later. Race arrived not long after that. I still remember the first time we met. He was a kid who was practically my twin with same age, hair, and eye color, often leading people to place us together as siblings. A person could tell that he had been through hard times, sporting scars that weren't from falling of a bicycle. When he walked through the front door however, he had the biggest grin and a nasty cigar hanging from his mouth. I don't know what the reason behind the cigar is, but there was always one in his pocket. Jack, Race, and I had clicked instantly and have stuck together this whole time, something I was very thankful for.

"I would like that. Do you think we could sneak some food in?" I asked with a smile.

Race laughed. "Why not? I saved you some breakfast down at the front desk, hopefully nobody ate it," he said, walking back over to his own bunk across from mine. My stomach growled, and I realized that I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday. I threw back the pile of blankets on top of me and got out of bed. The moment I stood up, I immediately knew something was off. I tumbled onto the hard wooden floor. Race started laughing, but panic, not a laugh, was forcing its way up my throat. I rolled over and sat up, staring at my legs.

"Race!" I called, but he continued roaring with laughter. "RACE!"

"What?" he finally answered.

I couldn't see him, but I could tell he was trying not to laugh. "I'm serious!" I argued. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean something's wrong? You fell over. Just admit that you're clumsy." Truth be told, I was a clumsy person, but this was different.

"Race, I can't feel my leg," I said slowly. He must have heard the panic in my voice and was kneeling at my side in a instant.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and I nodded. "Try wiggling your toes," he suggested.

I did as he said, but only the toes on my left foot moved. Race frowned and pinched at the skin of my right leg. My ankle was still purple from yesterday, but I didn't feel any pain. I could tell Race was trying hard to get me to yell in pain, but nothing happened.

"You honestly can't feel that?"

I shook my head at his question. "I wouldn't lie about something like this! Wh-" I started to cough, my throat itching.

Race felt my forehead with the back of his hand. "You're warm. The cold must've gotten to you from yesterday. We were all out in that storm longer than we should have. Stay here and rest."

"I can't. Jack wi-"

"Jack would want you to be better. I'll still go see him tonight and tell you all about it when I get back," Race told me sternly, but I knew his heart was in the right place.

"You'll make sure he's okay? that he had enough food and sleep and-"

"I got it, Celia," Race said helping me up and back onto the bed.

I guess I didn't realize just how tired I still was until I had laid back down. Sleep enveloped me quickly, keeping me wishing that things would get better the next time my eyes opened.

They didn't.


	4. MUCH THANKS

To the Guest who left a review on the previous chapter, thank you so much for your kind words. If you haven't already, I suggest you read Celia's Story and CELIA as this short story is the prequel to both of those small novels things. YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT AFTER CLIFFHANGERS EITHER! Again, thank you so much for reading the story thus far!


	5. Chapter 5

**SORRY IT'S SO SHORT, BUT I MIGHT STILL BE WORKING ON THIS?**

_This is a crazy idea, Celia, _I thought to myself. _You've officially lost it. _I will be honest. Making your way down five flights of stairs with a bum leg is not fun. Doing it at two in the morning does not make it enjoyable either. It's quite dark then, but there I was doing it anyways. Using the railing to brace myself, I took one step at a time. The sounds of snoring from the bunk room faded away, leaving the Lodgehouse eerily quiet. All that echoed now was my footsteps against the carpet of the staircase. A smart person might now ask why I was going down to the lobby so early in the morning, and I'm going to be truthful. I had no idea. It all started when Jack threw a shoe at my head.

_I awoke with a start and found a Newsboy boot lying on my pillow. The dull pain in my forehead led me to believe that the boot had been thrown and hit its target, my face. I grabbed it and sat up, ready to let my anger loose on the culprit. The room was silent other than the occasional snore or muttering for food, and my brother stood at the foot of my bed. _

_Jack looked wonderful as if he hadn't been in the Refuge at all. His grin was comforting; I had missed it greatly. He was oddly clean, wearing clothes I had never seen before. We never had the money to get new things, but maybe he passed a clothing drive at a nearby church on his way back. _

_"Jack! How did you g-?"_

_"What are you doing, Celia?" he asked. _

_"Well, I was sleeping until you threw your boot at my head," I answered with a frown. _He didn't even let me speak, _I thought. __  
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_"That's not what I meant." _

_"Then w-?"_

_"You've been laying on your butt for long enough."_

_That shut me up. _How does he know? Maybe one of the boys told him? _It's been almost a week since I had woken up and found I couldn't walk. I haven't left the Logdehouse since. Thankfully, I had enough saved up to pay for my stay this long, but tonight was the end of my funds. The money was gone._

_"Jack, what am I supposed to do? I can't walk!" My voice raised to a shout, but none of the newsboys moved. _

_Jack had the nerve to laugh. "That's what's stopping you?"_

_I didn't say anything, looking down at the shoe in my hand. I wasn't coping well will with this whole situation. That much was true, but how was I supposed too? In a matter of twenty-four hours, I had lost my brother to the law and my ability to walk so I wasn't surprised that I was crying now. The bed creaked loudly as Jack sat down. _

_"Celia," he said, "you have never let anything hold you back before. We've never had it easy, kid. This isn't any different. I know you can do this." He pulled me into a hug. _

_I smiled, hugging him tighter. "I've missed you so much."_

_"I know."_

_"How did you get out of the Refuge anyway?"_

_"I didn't."  
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I woke up then and realized it was a dream, but the drive for something different was still evident. I dragged myself out of bed, and this brings back to where I was now. I finally reached to the lobby and looked at the clock. It had taken me close to thirty minutes to get down from the bunk room. I knew I was slow, but didn't know I was as slow as a turtle. I made my way to the storage closet, careful not to wake the caretaker. I opened the door and found exactly what I needed.


End file.
